


ripples within me

by SammySpenny



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: M/M, Merperson Armin Arlert, Slow Build
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-10
Updated: 2019-05-12
Packaged: 2019-11-15 04:49:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,988
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18066884
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SammySpenny/pseuds/SammySpenny
Summary: Levi is on a training exercise in his cadet days when he first meets him. How could he have known what would come of it?





	1. An Unconventional Meeting

**Author's Note:**

> Hiya,   
> bear with me for this fic, its going to be a long one and i have so many plans for it that the summery doesn't hint at. This is noot goijng to be just a romance story though thats a part of it, rather i hope that it will be an intruiging adventure that could be seen maybe as AOT in a parallel universe.   
> Anywho happy reading!

LEVI POV

Levi stumbled along the edge of the river, knowing that he was too in the open but unable to do anything about it. Besides it's probably fine, just his overactive instincts telling him that he is being watched. Probably. Not that it matters either way, with the sheer rock face on the other side of the river and impassable undergrowth on this. This shit really needed to be kept clear. 

Suddenly Levi froze on complete alert like a cat scenting danger and waiting for the slightest signal to send them in the opposite direction. Or right at it claws bared. For the longest time Levi couldn't tell what it was that had his senses screaming at him but shortly sighted a large pair of eyes that were peering from behind a rock that had been pushed up from the riverbed. Stealth would be pointless now that he has been spotted so Levi stands straight and makes eye contact while straining his ears for sounds of approach or attack, Only the light babbling of the river could be heard. 

The eyes blinked at him and looked almost ... curious? That threw Levi for a moment and made him pause longer than he meant to in discerning if this was a threat. "They are close you know. If the other cadets are what you were trying to avoid before. There's a large pool a little farther down with vines climbing the rock face on the far end. There's a cave or two hidden by them, if you hurry you'll make it."

With another blink the eyes disappeared. "What the ever living fuck?" Levi barely had time to murmur to himself before he picked up the tell tale sounds of ODM gear in operation maybe a half mile off. Fuck, he'd have to make a split second decision. Remembering the curiosity in those eyes - curiosity not hostility he was sure - he ran soundlessly on the pine needles coating the forest floor following the river. 

Only seconds passed before he reached the pool. More like a fucking lake in Levi's opinion but whatever. Glancing at the other side to make sure that the rock face and vines were where the voice said they would be and dived straight into the water. Levi sincerely hoped he could hold his breath for the time it would take to swim to the ridge and find a cave as he cant afford to surface again. It would make more ripples that won't have time to dissipate before the others take to the so fucking called pool. 

Quicker than expected Levi's hand brushed against rough rock and Levi started to follow it, methodically feeling and searching everything he could reach for an opening. Fuck what if it's only above water? The others are sure to be at the lake by now. what if the underwater entrance leads to a cave that completely submerged? Or what if the caves don't even fucking exist? Losing isn't an option but neither is drowning. 

Levi resolved to hold his breath as long as possible then try to emerge close to the rock face first, just enough to breath. Maybe any ripples from that distance would go unnoticed by anyone lingering. The walls know those bastards are unobservant enough. Just as his lungs were burning and he started kicking for the surface he felt a pair of arms encircle him. "Not that way."

Levi's eyes open in shock though it doesn't make much difference with nothing but murky green filling his visionas he loses the last of his air in a gasp. No air, no air, oh fuck this is so fucked. He twisted his body and reached for the leg of whoever has him to throw them and break their hold on him but his hand brushes something cold and ridged that flits away too quick to get a hold. Then his head is breaking the surface and he can draw a shuddering breath before he feels himself pushed firmly onto a firm surface. 

he coughs trying to clear his lungs and eyes of the filthy water that made them burn. Blinking Levi tried to ignore the nagging thought of the bacteria working its way through his body and turned to see who had grabbed him and dragged him through the lake. And then he blinked again because theres no way he's fucking crazy.


	2. Small Revelation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi meets who it was that caused his impromptu kidnap, and Armin has a swift learning curve on acceptable human interaction.

Armin POV

Well this wasn't quite what Armin planned when he decided to help the trainee soldier escape. He quickly ran through the situation and how it had deviated from the plan in his head while he watched the cadet cough up water from a safe distance. So one, he hadn't planned to be seen in the first place, seriously that cadet must have eyes of a hawk. He'd never been spotted before. Two, turns out the cadet didn't search underwater with it's eyes but had to feel along the rock meaning it was going in the wrong direction along the bank. Is this a flaw of all humans? How inconvenient. And lastly why oh why did he think it was a good idea to grab the human and take it to a cave himself?! Other than a nasty lump that Armin was pretty sure was going to rise on the side of his head from when the cadet threw his head back in surprise Armin now had no idea how to deal with this situation. There is no precedent for how to deal with humans after all. 

But time has run out to ruminate on the matter. The cadet is clearing its eyes and its about to see him. After panicking a moment Armin steels himself. If the human was running away then it must be an outcast from its group (tribe? Unit?) and therefore not a great threat, indeed this could be an opportunity. So best to get the most difficult part over with quickly. Armin swam slightly closer so that the light travelling through the water would reflect of his scales, if he's going to be seen he may as well be seen properly, while still staying a calculated distance away to be out of reach of even a lunge. The human looked small but Armin knew how to read power in the build of small things. All fish looked weak until you got a swipe of their tail, he figured that human bodies would be much the same. 

There was a tense few seconds of silence while Armin watched the human twist seeming to look for something. Him, duh. Armin mentally slapped himself. If he had just been dragged through the water and dumped in a cave he'd want to know who did it too. As Armin was busy admonishing himself the humans eyes locked onto him, blinking frequently before narrowing into the same piercing gaze Armin remembered from the river when he had first been spotted. Armin swished his tail nervously and waited for the reaction though he wasn't sure what to expect. Something to be sure, not just this staring at each other from a distance. Just when he was about to break the cadet spoke. "What in the flying fuck are you playing at. You could've drowned me pulling that kind of shit."

It took Armin a minute to muster a response. This wasn't what he expected after all and a couple of the words the cadet was using he didn't understand, he was learning the human language but his education was based on eavesdropping and was spotty at best. Apparently he isn't as fluent as he'd privately prided himself in being. Not that he needed to be to get the jist of the reprimand. "Well i saw you were in trouble and not finding the cave so i took you here. You would not have drowned i swim fast, and the other cadets were watching the water. i could see them, a group of four were looking to see a mark in the mud which made them watch the water." Armin realised he was rambling trying to justify himself when surely there was nothing to justify and shook himself. "what does it matter anyway i helped you! Why are they after you, were you segregated from the cadets?" 

"Segregated? It's a training mission, i haven't been kicked out of jack shit." The eyes staring at him narrowed into slits. "You really thought you were helping, that i was in serious shit? Well i guess i should be grateful but i got a question of my own. What are you and why did you bother to begin with?" Armin processed this information feeling the first tints of blush thinking of his foolishness. A training exercise for what though? But That will have to wait a moment. Noticing the lack of aggression from the cadet despite the situation Armin swam closer, almost withing touching distance. 

"I am a Mer. To the best of my knowledge our ancestors are related and split at some point in our deep history, yours to dwell on land, ours the ocean. I'm not certain though." Armin didn't elaborate on why, it's a painful memory and he didn't like to dwell on the fact that he is now alone and has been for years. there's only so much you can gain from instincts, childhood memory and your own deductions. " Anyway my name is Armin, if you'd like to know. I'm sorry, i really thought that you were fleeing. i can take you back, just keep the secret of my existence." It had occurred to Armin that the danger he had disregarded thinking the human to be an outcast was once again a factor. and too late to do much about it. Either leave the human to die and guarantee its silence or hope in the same kind of partnership, if slightly different than first expected, he had bet on when deciding to reveal himself. And he doesn't think he could essentially kill this human.

Speaking of said human Armin's thought were interrupted by a voice. "Armin. Tch. Fine, i have swallowed more unbelievable and damn right you are taking me back." Here the human paused to scan Armin some more who nervously held the gaze. He couldn't look away, what if he missed something? Something he could learn from? "You can call me Levi. For what its worth."

What it's worth? Armin lit up, the human, Levi, had no idea. A small start maybe but its something, and so much more than Armin had dared to hope in all those lonely years. "Ok then, levi. Well it looks like you have some time and i have questions!" A loud groan could be heard through the cave that made Armin giggle then duck underwater away from a thrown pebble. Hmm another thing he hadn't factored in. Oh well, another thing learnt.


	3. Getting to know you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Getting to know you, getting to know all about you!   
> Sorry, can't resist a musical, and neither should i lol.  
> So now the the tension is broken lets get to some fun lore building and fleshing out in the form of Q and A before a time skip so we can start getting to the main story and some of the good stuff!

Levi POV

This shit. How can he look so smug and shy and NEVER SHUT UP all at once? "And how come you kept your eyes closed in the water? Is the skin on your legs the same as the skin on your face? Why do you cover your skin? Do you live in tribes? I know you are a cadet, is that your tribe? What are you training for? What is your gender and what is the distinction? What are your mating rituals? Why do you use those things to go through the air? Are they a part of you? Why do y-"

"STOP, oh my fuck stop." There was a half beat silence in which Armin looked speculative and subdued. Finally Levi thought, he might have stemmed the flow enough to think. How can this kid asked questions like that seemingly without having to think of them or about them. How can he not know some of this basic shit. Then again Levi didn't know any of it about Arming either, other than his gender and that's just from the name. 

Armin seemed to come to some conclusion and nodded slightly. "Is fuck who you worship? Is fuck your god?" Levi huffed out a laugh before he could stop it and even his scowl at his lack of self discipline couldn't hide the slight smile that still adorned his features as he replied. 

"No fuck is not a god at all. It's just a word like shit. Though shit means something different. My eyes burn in dirty water, yes the skin on my legs is the same, because i don't want to walk around with my cock out and neither does anyone else, no we have city's, cadet is the name given for people training, training to be in the army, i have a cock so i'm a guy, women have kids and vaginas. Though not really in that order. I dunno buy a drink, marry them, lie, different people have different principles. No my gear is not a part of me and i use it cause titans are pretty fucking tall how else is the army meant to fight them and that is enough fucking questions."

Levi took a breath, that might just be the most he has said at once since he was a kid. Or maybe he said more when Erwin caught him and tricked/bribed him into training to join the scouts. He closed his eyes and waited, ready to glare as soon as the kid asked something else. They always do, people never know when to fucking stop so why should fish people, Mer, whatever, be different. "Ok, i guess that's a lot to think about anyway even if i don't a hundred percent understand all of it just yet. I will though, Do you want to go back? I know that's another question but i figured you wouldn't mind that one."

Levi cracked an eye to look over surprised, and his surprise turned to shock when he saw the little shit was actually smirking at him. It wrinkled that this fragile looking creature was offering him more help and his pride wanted to refuse but Levi wasn't an idiot. Even if the thought of getting back into that filthy water made his skin crawl he knew it would go quicker and safer if Armin took him. Levi isn't the strongest of swimmers. No lakes or rivers in the underground. He snorted at his own thoughts. Barely a fucking puddle. "All right but make it quick. Drop me at a different place with rocks on the shore is you can, don't want to leave any more fucking tracks for them to follow. I'm going back to base now but i'd rather go still uncaught."

Armin nodded and motioned for him to get back in the water, chewing his lip as Levi did. " I don't exist. not to other, not to anyone. else-wise pretty quickly i really won't exist anymore." Levi glanced up to look into his face. Levi knew already. He knew or could guess exactly what humans would do to Armin, after all hadn't they already tried to do most of it to him? He looked Armin in the eye as he nodded his understanding and after another thirty seconds or so of piercing eyes that seemed to look into Levi he felt arms envelope him again and a second later he was underwater. Ten seconds later he was on the shore, that was really a rocky outcrop. 

Climbing up slowly and soundlessly as possible in order to get his bearing he crouched at the top a moment before looking back. He couldn't see Armin, indeed there wasn't even a ripple of evidence he had ever been there. Not wasting any time Levi raced on the pine trail back into the trees. Following the retreating sun to base. 

Two nights later he returned to the outcrop. He was out after hours but he needed time away from the sweat and confines of the comunial bunks and the fresh air was worth the risk every time. As he approached the water a familiar head of blond emerged from the water beaming as though the owner had never expected to see something so amazing ever again, making Levi roll his eyes. 

" So first question. What IS a cock?"


	4. "What will happen when you graduate?"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So this is a time skip over Levi's remaining two years in training and the growing of both of them as people so the awkward first stages are done with (mostly)

Levi's POV 

Levi leaned back against his hands waiting after his turn in the sparring ring. He watched the rest of the cadets, most of them a lot younger than himself, tentatively dip and jab at each other. It's almost a good thing most of these lot want a relatively quiet life in the garrison. They wouldn't last a week in the survey corp. The feeling of movement just behind him warned him of approach and Levi turned his head as Farlen folded up beside him having just finished his turn. 

"These kids would die if they were left in the underground for a day." Levi snorted at the close mirroring of his thoughts while watching them. There's a reason him and Farlen are so close, were able to survive together. "Izzy though, she has some spunk. I bet with a dagger she'd be no one to fuck with lightly." 

Levi snorted trying not to roll his eyes. In truth he had been watching the girl, Isabel, as well. if only because she is closer to their age than the others and didn't seem to be there for regular food or an easy life like the rest. Though friendly enough she hadn't shared her goals, not that Levi had asked. It's not his problem but still she was interesting, or at least interesting enough to pique Farlens interest which is a rare thing. "I'm going." Levi stood up as Farlen nodded his encouragement, not bothering to ask why. Levi was grateful for that, he would never lie or refuse to answer Farlen anything and in return Farlen doesn't ask unless he has to. A peaceful truce that has lasted this long between them.

Without conscious thought Levi's feet took him to the lake, always using a new rout that sometimes took an hour or so but today it was half that. And as he had been every day for the last six months or so Armin was there. "How was training today? How did you fight?" Armin never asked if he won anymore, just wanted a detailing of the fight like he is trying to learn something vital by analyzing it. Come to think of it thats how he always sounds and looks when they talk. Like every word is a missing puzzle piece. 

"Not today, lets just sit." Armin held out his hand and Levi took it, preparing himself for the speed and the harsh cold water as Armin swam them to the safe place they first met and always spoke in now. 

\- Skip one year -

Armin POV

"You think that Erwin is making you do the full training for a reason?" Levi lifted one eyebrow at Armin for interrupting his tirade against 'that bushy eyebrowed asshat' and waited for an explanation. "Only think about it. It seems to me that his job is more political than anything else. For every day that he deploys the corp outside the wall there are ten they are not. It makes sense that he'd always be having to answer for and justify every move he makes. Every loss of life. Its just a different form of tactics. He wants you but you're a rat from the underground. He can't show favoritism and he has to justify having you in high standing in the Corps so you'll have to earn it. He knows you'll be on top so you just have to be patient. Once you graduate training with a perfect record your previous life and lack of experience will be less valid arguments. They might still try to use them but it won't hold as much punch and be easy to disregard."

Armin sat back and let his tail swish through the water lazily in front of him while Levi frowned thinking over his words. Armin had once been intimidated by that frown and afraid to comment on things but now he knew better, that's just how Levi's face naturally fell. "who is they. Who is it that Eyebrows is meant to be fighting against in the walls that would have a problem. What does it matter to them who he sends to die?"

Armin shrugged. "There is always opposition. Always someone trying to hinder for seemingly no reason. besides we know there is life outside the walls. Even if it's not human and your government knows it if my childhood warnings are anything to go by. What else could there be?"

Levi rolled his eyes. "You're thinking too much again." Armin didn't think so, and he knew Levi didn't either. But maybe it was something that didn't factor for him yet. "Farlen is so loved up its sickening." Armin smiled at the lighter subject and splashed a bit of water in Leni's direction. "Oi you shit you piss and eat in that water you know!"

Armin laughed ducking Levi's violent punch aimed at his collarbone and used one of the hand gestures he had learned from Levi. From a safe distance fo course. 

\- Skip six months -

Amin POV

"Levi. what happens when you graduate?" It was a question he had been avoiding for so long. He felt they had both been ignoring the obviouse threat looming over them. As far as Armin knew the Corps was located by the outer wall where Armin's river didn't reach. It stopped at wall rose. Of course there was another option but he feared it wouldn't be safe to be so open. 

"I guess we'll see less of each other. we can meet in the middle at rose. there'll be more people and soldiers in a lot of places though. i dunno where this river ends." Levi frowned in thought and Armin could see the worry. Good. At least he's not the only one. It had grown comfortable with the two of them. Close. He wanted the worry to be unfounded, wanted to reason it away though it is impossible to do so. The next best thing is always distraction. 

"Can i touch your legs?" he had seen them many times when Levi took off his trousers to dry in the sun but had never wanted to break courtesy and ask. Levi laughed and swung his legs over the rock inviting me to sit next to him with a head nod. Lifting myself next to him he stroked the skin on Levi's leg feeling that though it was similat to Levi's arms and hands and torso that Armin had felt before it almost had a texture on it own. lined with callous from his gear straps. 

Armin shivered lightly as he felt Levi's hand on the upper portion of his tail, showing his own curiosity. On impulse, or instinct it was always hard to tell, Armin gripped the scale Levi was toughing and ripped it out, ignoring the sting and pressed it against Levi's neck where it almost seemed to melt against his skin. Levi was still staring at Armin in question because of course, he couldn't see what Armin had done. 

"I'm sorry, i don't know why. it was important but...i don't..." 

"Levi nodded. "It's fine. Doesn't hurt or anything." After a moment he took Armins hand. It was time to go. Armin felt the need to hold him closer than usual as he swam but held back, he had given into enough impulses for one day. As they said bye and Armin turned to leave as usual Levi grabbed him and leaned against him for a moment then turned and left without a word, confusing Armin even more. 

 

It was five years before he saw Levi again, Wall Maria had been breached and Farlen was dead. Levi leaned on him again as he cried.


End file.
